Are you the most irritating agent in your area?

What’s your take on networking?

I hate it.

Actually let me qualify that. I hate the word networking.

It’s such a clunky way of describing people just meeting up and talking.

I like meeting people, like chatting (it’s the Irish in me) but despise hard selling.

I was at a ‘networking’ event earlier this year as a favour to a friend.

There were no estate agents there so I wasn’t looking to sell anything. Even if there was I wouldn’t be looking to sell– I’d be more interested in chatting with them for sure, but that would be it. I ain’t there to sell.

I sat next to a chap at this meeting and politely asked him what line of business he was in.

His scarily well polished reply pounced on me as his eyes glazed over: “I help businesses like yours save money and I can help you make extra money to.”

“For fork’s sake” I thought silently and died a little inside. He was a utility club house or energy whatsitname rep, speaking the language they get really well trained in.

What should I do? I didn’t want to be rude but having been in this situation before I knew I had to act fast.

So I made a polite excuse and said I needed to desperately use the toilet. With no plans to return to my seat. Ever.

It’s amazing how direct you can be in the face of a potential ten minutes of being sold to by someone you would never buy from in a million years.

Any road here’s my point.

Later on the same chap made a point of going round to everyone handing out his business card. He was literally just giving them to people without saying a word.

He was obviously in a rush and decided to card spam all the people in the room.

And that’s a good way of describing his actions because he was simply irritating people by spamming them with something they hadn’t asked for.

But here’s the thing, estate agents who lazily put leaflets through doors saying ‘we’ve got the biggest market share, shiniest shoes, most branded cars’ etc are doing the same thing Mr Irritating was doing.

The property owner hasn’t asked for your sales pitch.

A much better approach if you’re going to direct market to them is to tell them something rather than try to sell them something.

Share a market update, a potted history of their area, a What’s On locally guide, anything that is relevant, interesting and will leave them thinking a little more positively about your agency than they did before receiving it.

If that fails. Just bung your business card through their door and see if they want to cut their gas bill.

Thanks for reading and here’s to your next instruction.

Jerry

PS: A couple of you were asking about a caption service for your video blogs / You Tubing – I’ve been told a company called Rev are good and affordable but I haven’t used them yet. www.rev.com

 

 

Jerry Lyons

You May Also Enjoy

to let sign 2025
Letting Agent Talk

Quick Survey for Letting Agents & Property Managers – Chance to Win £200!

A short 2-3 minute survey researching the processes and challenges Letting Agents and Property Managers face in property maintenance and management. As a token of appreciation, all participants will be entered into a draw to win a £200 Amazon or Uber Eats Gift Voucher! https://s.surveyplanet.com/3inqb13s Thank you for your time and insights!
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide: Strong end to the year for UK house prices

UK house prices up 4.7% year on year in December Northern regions see higher price growth than southern regions Northern Ireland best performing area for second year running, with prices up 7.1% over 2024 East Anglia weakest performing region, with prices up 0.5% over the year Headlines Dec-24 Nov-24 Monthly Index* 540.8 536.8 Monthly Change*…
Read More
Breaking News

28.8% of property sales fell through before completion in 2024

The most common reasons for failed sales include the buyer pulling out or failing in an attempt to renegotiate a lower purchase price after a survey (27.3%), the buyer changing their mind and withdrawing from the sale (23.6%), and difficulty getting a mortgage (21.8%). Reasons for failed sales Reason Percentage of failed sales Buyer pulled…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Rightmove: Busiest ever Boxing Day as home-hunters get ahead of a 2025 mov

Rightmove has recorded its busiest ever Boxing Day for new seller activity, with a record number of Boxing Day properties listed for sale by agents on the 26th December 2024: The number of new properties coming to the market for sale was 26% higher than Boxing Day 2023 The majority (46%) of homes put up…
Read More
Coastal and sea front property
Estate Agent Talk

The Biggest Factors that Reduce Property Value

If you are looking to sell your home, or if you own a number of properties, then you’ll want to make sure that your sale price matches your valuation. With that said, there are a number of factors that might affect this. Underpinning Subsidence can be scary if you’re a homeowner. There’s no doubt that…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

How to Transition from a Fixed-Term Tenancy to a Periodic Tenancy

Transitioning from a fixed-term tenancy to a periodic tenancy is a common occurrence in the UK rental market. It offers flexibility and convenience for both landlords and tenants by continuing the rental agreement on a rolling basis once the fixed term ends. Whether you’re a landlord managing a property or a tenant seeking clarity, Martin…
Read More